I Rubbed Lemons On My Pits As A Hangover Cure

Hangovers: They’re the worst, aren’t they? Nothing ruins a day more than waking up with a pounding headache, wincing over what little you can remember from the night before. That's where rubbing lemons on your armpits comes into play. Are you trying to recall the steamy makeout session you had with (Joe? John? Jared?) last night? Have you been left piecing together the treasure trail of Instagram photos in mild panic as you buy the last of your Christmas gifts? Yep, I've been there. But this time, I plan on bidding farewell to the after-effects of boozy affairs. How? By dabbling in some bizarre hangover hacks straight from the kitchen.

Sure, we’ve all heard of the normal ones. After all, they usually involve consuming food, right? Freshly squeezed OJ? Believe me, I’ve tried. Potassium-packed bananas? Again, another failure. An essential cup of caffeine? It does nothing! Instead, I decided to test out a Puerto Rican folk remedy and rub lemon (or lime, if you prefer) under my armpits before I went out drinking. According to the legend, your armpits will absorb the lemon juice, which helps treat dehydration, supposedly leaving the skin on your face looking and feeling refreshed along the way. But does it actually work?

Preparation

I tested the hack before I went to a bar with a group of friends. I usually feel awful the morning after a night out and am bed-ridden for the rest of the day due to headaches and sickness. In addition to hopefully feeling more alive coming morning, I also wanted to experience the beauty benefits lemons are rumored to have, a few of which include cleansing the body and moisturizing skin. Hello, soft, B.O.-free armpits.

I applied the lemon an hour before I started drinking, as per online suggestions. I wanted the process to be as mess-free as possible, so I cut the lemon in half, as opposed to finely chopped slices, before dabbing each part onto my armpits. For an extra kick, I also used lemon juice from my local supermarket and applied it with cotton pads.

How The Lemon Affected My Skin

While I was doing this my housemates, who are well accustomed to me trying out bizarre beauty experiments by now, were doubtful. “It’s not going to work,” one told me. “At least you smell nice,” said another. Admittedly, I did smell nice and there was something refreshing about using a natural scent as opposed to canned sprays and perfumes. But aside from the obvious, tangy scent, I’m disappointment to report that I didn’t really experience any other beauty benefits from using lemons.

With them being a great source of calcium and Vitamin C, not to mention magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants, the fruit is often used to aid things like acne, dark spots, blemishes, and dehydrated pores. Overall, my skin didn’t feel refreshed. The juice left me feeling sticky, so much so that I was battling an urge to jump straight in the shower. Speaking of softness, once the liquid had finished drying, my skin felt rough and uncomfortable. Lemons acting as a moisturizer? I don't believe it for a second.

As For The Hangover...

Thud. Thud. Thud. By the time morning rolled around, it was safe to say my head was pounding and my faith in the lemon hack was at breaking point. I woke up around 10 AM and was definitely beginning to regret the amount of rum I consumed the night before. Although I only stuck to that drink and didn’t mix because of this experiment, I did have a fair few glasses.

Once I finally managed to make it downstairs, I attempted to tuck into some toast and tea before I was hit with a wave of nausea. It probably didn’t help that I smelt more like a floor of a sticky, busy bar than sharp citrus. After a few hours sleep, I definitely felt more like myself. My hangover was nearly gone. Hurrah! That said, it did almost take a day to get over. Despite using the lemon, I experienced all the usual symptoms and was equipped with more than a handful of self-pity thanks to sickness and tiredness. “Told you it wouldn’t work,” said the doubtful housemate from the night previously.

Did The Folk Remedy Work?

Nope. Despite using the lemon, I still suffered from a hangover and all the after-effects that went alongside it. Dehydration, sickness, tiredness — you name it! I did feel better throughout the day, but it was mostly down to rest and water, which implies to me that there really is no way to prevent a hangover from happening.

As for the beauty benefits that lemons are supposed to be lashed in, I find a lot of them hard to believe. The fruit might work for drying out things like spots and acne, but for helping with dehydrated skin that seeks moisture, eh, not so much. If you're still seeking a way of getting party-ready skin for the holidays, I recommend investing in some stocking fillers instead. Cheers to that.

Images: Emma Matthews